Hieromartyr Arseny (Matseevich), Metropolitan of Rostov: A Corpus of Written Sources

Written by Archpriest Oleg Mitrov | 05 November 2024
Posted in Archival funds and collections

Archpriest Oleg Mitrov, Naro-Fominsk, Russian Federation

Hieromartyr Arseny (Matseevich), Metropolitan of Rostov: A Corpus of Written Sources

Abstract

The article analyzes historical works dedicated to hieromartyr Arseny (Matseevich, 1697-1772), Metropolitan of Rostov, who spoke openly against secularization policy of Catherine II. At the Council of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000, Metropolitan Arseny (Matseevich) was sainted. The article presents a historiographical review of most significant works and publications on Metropolitan Arseny. Not all archival documents depicting the role of Metropolitan Arseny (Matseevich) in Russian history have been introduced into scientific use. The author points out three researchers’ assessments of Metropolitan Arseny’s personality. One group of ecclesiastical and secular historians drifting away from the Church and looking at the events in Russia through “European glasses”, considers His Grace “fanatic”, “belated Old Ritualist”, "superstitious", stresses a cruelty streak in his character, his “extreme power-thirsty self-delusion”. Another group, consisting mainly of Church representatives, writes about the Metropolitan Arseny with love and respect. The third group is most numerous, it includes historians offering data without conclusions or comments. The author of the article concludes that introducing into scientific use a wide array of sources characterizing the role of Metropolitan Arseny in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church is of utmost importance.

Keywords

Source, Metropolitan Arseny (Matseevich), the Russian Orthodox Church, archival document, hagiography, hieromartyr.

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About the authors

archpriest Oleg Mitrov, the Dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Naro-Fominsk, Naro-Fominsk, Russian Federation, +7-916-123-88-24, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it